Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Today's Bible reading (Exodus 18:13-24) said a lot to me, so I like to jot down thoughts and questions that arose for me to mull on and maybe for you my kind reader to comment (and benefit from) too.

What is this thing that you are doing for the people . . . alone?The thing that you do is not good.

Oh how I wish I too can have people like Jethro in my life, who know me and what I am doing and care enough to speak into my life when they see something wrong. I pray I will be surrounded by counsellors who will offer their experience and wisdom even when I'm too busy to ask for it.

You and your people will surely wear themselves out . . .

Just realised that if (and when) a leader is worn out (burnt out) the people he/she is leading will also suffer the same fate!

For this thing is too much for you; you are not able to perform it by yourself.

What am I doing that is 'too much' for me; that I am unable 'to perform' by myself? Oh may I have the eyes to see and the wisdom and humility to say, "This is too much for me; I am not able to do this by myself!" I wonder if the many dreams/projects/programmes I want to do have fallen into this category?

Listen to my counsel (advice) and God will be with you.

Who am I listening and is God with me as a result?

You stand before God . . . teach them . . . show them . . . deal with the 'great matters'BUT also you SELECT among all the people, men/women who are

God-fearing

truth lovers

honest (hate covetousness)

To become rulers over 10, 50, 100, 1000 and they

do the 'small matters'

judge the people

bear the burden WITH you

If you do this, you will ENDURE and your people will go home in peace.

I need to select 'rulers' and to delegate responsibilities and care to them, so that my burden is shared and I can endure; those I lead can go home happy!

Lord, help me form a dream team for every project I do. Help me find the right men and women, select them and delegate to them some of my burdens so that together the work is done, the workers are okay and the people are blessed.

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

It has finally sunk in and I am going to admit it: the lifestyle I had been practising six months ago was comfortably supported by the income I was getting six months ago but the same lifestyle today can no longer be supported by the same amount I was getting six months ago! Pay same, way of living same but today I can't afford to continue the way I have been living - I actually am slowly but surely being forced to downsize!

I guess what happened is as I went to work, slept and lived my normal life, the cost of living just rose slowly but surely and like the proverbial frog being boiled slowly in a pot, I never knew I was getting cooked until my wallet began to hurt!

After several years of living with enough and a little extra to bless others, I am back to those old days when I lived in lack. Ouch, never thought I would return to those 'terrible lean years'!

So I have begun looking for ways to trim the fat, deciding what I can discontinue, cut down or stretch but I fear the pay I am presently getting can only be stretched so much before it goes 'poof' (disappears into thin air). I guess its back to doing two or three jobs at the same time (those 'lean years' pushed me hard). I've identified 7.30-11.30am as the time I can do something else and am looking to be actively doing something(s) during this time to generate between RM1000 to RM2000 a month.

Any ideas/suggestions?

As a stop gap measure I will be selling off some of my belongings beginning with some books from my library - keep in the loop (visit my FB) to know what I am selling off.

I hope you are having better days but take my case as a call to look at your situation - is what you are doing and what you are getting financially enough any more or have you been robbed too?

Thursday, November 3, 2011

There's no room for lapse of attention or ignoring a single word (what more a sentence) when editing news.

Got gently rebuked and reminded on two matters:

For a picture caption story, look at the picture (and if pictureS, select the best) and make sure the sentences fit the picture. Also, for caption story there must be at least 2-3 sentences (not one complex sentence).

The paragraph that says where and when some guy said something important which was used in the first paragraph must only appear after third paragraph. Do not insert the info (where, when) in first paragraph.

Then there's this question: Is it 'an initiative BY the government . . .' or 'an initiative OF the government . . .'? Chief editor says its 'OF' and not 'BY'. Any English masters wanna comment?

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Lesson #101
When editing a news report, make sure you transfer paragraphs with important information and personalities to the top of the article (note: reporters don't know this and write what they want and put information all over the article - editors have to go collecting and rearranging. Go figure). Problem for me - how do you decide/know who and what is 'important'?
Also, I must remember to pick and chose and rearrange sentences so that the report is less cluttered and all the facts tally. Wow . . .
With this new knowledge, how I wish certain writing-challenged reporters be released from duty and I guess whenever SP sends in reports, I must remember Lesson #101.

I am beginning to see that I desire a workplace where I am challenged to do something great/significant for the life of an individual or many. Also the environment has to be positive and encouraging - people care about you and are friendly and good work is noticed and praise is a constant. I guess making a change in people's lives and doing something, no matter how small, that makes a difference for somebody, somewhere, is what excites me and makes my day. News editing . . .